A tragic incident in Nelson leaves one officer dead and another injured after a vehicle ramming attack during a routine patrol
Nelson: Early on New Year’s Day, a driver plowed into two police officers who were just doing their job. It was a shocking scene, and sadly, one officer lost her life while the other was seriously hurt.
This kind of violence is pretty rare in New Zealand, so it really rattled everyone. The police were just patrolling a car park when the driver sped towards them, hitting them hard. After that, he even rammed a police car!
Police Commissioner Richard Chambers shared the news, saying a 32-year-old man was arrested shortly after the incident. The officer who died, Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming, was a beloved figure in the community and had served for 38 years.
The other officer is expected to recover, which is a relief. There was also a third officer in the police car who suffered a concussion, and a couple of bystanders were injured while trying to help.
Chambers condemned the attack, calling it a senseless act. He mentioned that there was no warning this was going to happen. New Zealand’s Police Minister, Mark Mitchell, described the attack as cowardly.
This tragic event took place in a busy area of Nelson, just after the New Year’s Eve celebrations wrapped up. Before this, the last police officer killed on duty was in 2020, which shows how rare these incidents are.
Senior Sergeant Fleming leaves behind a spouse and children, and her loss is deeply felt in the community. The man charged with the attack is set to appear in court soon.
